You can’t recycle shopping bags! You can reuse them, like bagging poop diapers or other stinky items for the trash, but they can’t be recycled. What a shame! So what are we to do?? We could choose paper bags at the market, or better yet only use the reusable bags. They cost but once bought, you can reuse them forever! (or at least until they wear out) .

As a consumer, we need to say no to items that can’t be recycled. Eliminate the waste totally! Most beaches have already banned them on our beaches! By September 1, I pledge to only use reusable bags! I can’t wait to get me some cute ones, and start using them!! Get yours and start using them. Why continue to use plastic shopping bags when they can’t be recycled??

Here is how to recycle all your glass. Glass can be recycled over and over! This is awesome. There should never be any glass in our landfills! One way I help in this area is to reuse what glass I can. I buy jelly that comes in these cute jars, they are perfect drinking cups after the jelly is gone. Here is the jelly I buy, it comes in all different flavors and uses only fruit, sugar and pectin. You can’t beat it!!

You can recycle glass jars, bottles, or anything else that is glass. Examples are wine bottles, food jars, and alcoholic beverage bottles.

With glass, you don’t have to remove the caps or the labels. Just clean out the bottle or jar and put it in your recycle bin. Easy peasy!!!

One thing that can’t be recycled is light bulbs! Or at least in Charleston they can’t. Always check with your local recycle center for specific questions!

Plastic Bottles & Containers

Here is a list of what plastics can be recycled. My first rule is to eliminate all waste first, so if you can use a water filter do that to cut down on plastic bottles. Make your own cleaners and reuse your old bottles over and over. Use a kcup filter that used ground coffee. No waste is always best, but if you do have plastics, recycle them.

Water bottles

Soda bottles

Milk jugs

Liquid containers

Jars and tubs (yogurt, margarine tubs, etc.)

Detergent and all-purpose cleaner bottles

Soap and shampoo bottles

Rigid plastic product packaging, such as clean rigid clamshell containers (Remove any plastic film or aluminum)

Plastic cups

Kcups- remove the foil top, coffee and filter inside cup. The plastic cup can be recycled

Make sure to remove labels from containers, remove caps, and clean them out.

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I am in the process of learning how to recycle. This first post will be about water bottles! Everyone is on this kick of drinking out of water bottles all the time. I have even heard comments from people that they can’t drink water from the tap at all. In Georgia our tap water is very good. I love the way it tastes, so I don’t mind drinking it at all. Of course, if you live in an area with bad water, you may think bottled water is your only option. This is not true! Zero water pitches are great alternatives to bottled water, and there is nothing to recycle! You get the pitcher, fill it with your tap water and it removes 99 percent of the bad stuff.

If you still prefer bottled water, then recycling them is a great way to keep them out of the landfills! To do this correctly, then follow these basic guidelines.

Remove the cap, most recycling companies cant recycle the plastic bottle if the cap is still on. The cap is made from a different plastic than the bottle, so to prevent contamination, just remove the cap.

Remove the plastic label is your bottled water has one.

Put the empty bottle in the recycle bin.

Check with your local recycle center to find out what number plastic the accept. Usually it’s 1 or 2.

Have fun recycling your water bottles! for every ton of plastic recycled, 1 barrel of oil is saved! Here are some fun facts I

9.) The NRDC conducted a comprehensive four-year scientific study of 1,000 brands of bottled water. The results showed that one third of the bottled waters violated their own industry standards for water quality

10.) It takes 17 million barrels of oil to produce plastic bottles yearly. This could fuel 1 million cars for a year

The word Blessing has many definitions. I am talking today about the blessing that means a beneficial thing for which one is grateful, or something that brings well-being. These are the blessings that you can do everyday to help bring someone well being or gratitude.

In the past, I have paid for a stranger’s groceries. I happened to be behind them in line and for what ever reason they didn’t have the money. I pulled my card and helped them along. I have tipped unsuspecting waiters and waitresses a hundred dollars. Once, the waitress followed me into the parking lot crying and wanted to hug my neck. I love surprising people with small gifts that I find out and about. These gifts are usually things that just remind me of that person, and I want to get it for them.

I don’t share any of this because I want to pat my own back or have recognition at all; but to help you find small ways to be a blessing to someone everyday. You don’t have to be rich to bless others. Anyone can do it!

Hold the door open for someone and smile at them

Stop and help someone in a store if they are looking for something or can’t reach an item. I see this all the time, especially people on scooters.

tip 20% always. My rule is a 10 dollar tip for any amount less than 50 dollars. I think servers deserve at least 10 dollars regardless of how cheap the mean costs.

Call someone out of the blue and tell them you are thinking about them. You could also text them this.

Give someone your items that you really have no need for anymore. I always offer any items I may have sitting around to people. My kids usually benefit from this! I have also blessed people with clothing I no longer wear, or no longer fit into.

Offer to babysit children for a couple so they can enjoy some alone time. Granted everyone is not going to want you to babysit their children, but I’m sure there is someone out their that would trust you.

Keep on moving when you see a post on Facebook post that you don’t agree with. Ok no one will no you did this, but it isn’t really necessary to blast your feelings all over social media. Just keep scrolling and say no to that educational comment that you are wanting to share.

Invite people over to have dinner. I do this all the time! I love having people over! My food is not anything great, but the fellowship is truly amazing!

Help someone with cleaning or another service that you may be good at.

Donate blood

Shop local. Small business really need our business to stay in business! Support your local businesses.

When you see someone taking pictures, offer to take a group picture for them. I don’t how many times I end up with pictures of everyone and I am not in the pictures because I was taking the pictures.

Send a college student a care package. College is tough! Students need money for household items and personal care items, and often can’t afford them. Bless a college student you know with a care package today. You could include restaurant gift cards, laundry items, movies, or just a special surprise to help make their day.

A close college friend taught me this, never forget someone’s birthday. Call on special occassions and let them know how special they are to you. I suck at remembering birthday, but Facebook always reminds me now. You can post on their facebook, or call them, or even text them. Just tell them you are thinking about them and you love them. You could take them out to lunch or dinner.

These are just a few things off the top of my head that I have mentioned. My point is that you can always be a blessing. Open your eyes and pay attention to people while you are out and about.

What are some ways that you know of to be a blessing to others? Share them in your comments.

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I have been watching some movies on Amazon Prime and one in particular really made an impression! It’s called Gimme Shelter, and it’s based on the true story of Darlisha Dozier. She is a homeless pregant teenager who wants to keep her baby in spite of the fact that she has no means of taking care of a baby.

She finds a shelter that takes her in, and she immediatley bonds with the women and their children. A bond so strong, that she continues to stay on at the shelter after the birth of her baby girl.

The shelter in the movie, is actually a shelter that was started in 1981 by a woman that opened up her home to pregnant women. The shelter has grown and now offers help to many women.

If you get a chance, this is such a great movie! At the end it shows actual photos of women and their babies. I loved this movie because it actually shows you another option for pregnant women besides abortion. I have been in shelters, and the fact that this women formed a bond with the girls was shocking. My shelter experience was not a great one.